Strippers recruited for kids' Halloween carnival

Ellie's school will soon hold it's annual fund raising event. For several weeks now, I've been getting emails and notes from the organizers of the event begging parents to help out by volunteering. I happily signed up and am looking forward to seeing all the little kids and their families having fun at the harvest-themed festival.

It is clear by their pleas for help that Ellie's school is having trouble rounding up parents willing to volunteer. Perhaps they should follow the lead of Brooklyn's Puppetry Art Theatre, who also needed a little help with their second annual Haunted Halloween Carnival Benefit. For their costume party, this arts program for inner-city kids has enlisted the assistance of a half-dozen dancers from Scores, a local gentleman's club. In other words, strippers will be manning the booths and handing out the candy.

The women won't come dressed in their usual flirty attire, of course. 19-year-old Natalie Fretwell says she will leave her police officer getup at home and instead dress a cat or a devil. "I'm not going to be inappropriate or exposed," she says. Another dancer who goes by the stage name Sophia says she is motivated to do this as a way of giving back to the community.

What is most surprising about this is that at least some parents don't seem at all bothered by the idea of the strippers' involvement in the program. "As long as they keep their clothes on I don't see the problem," said Aileen Reyes. "As long as they dress as witches - not sexy witches - my 10-year-old can go."

This isn't the first time the women of Scores have tried to help out local causes. Last Christmas, they were turned down by dozens of charities when they tried to help raise money for needy women and children. Says Elda Auerbach, who works in promotions for Scores, "We're very glad to have the chance to help out. Lots of people who work here have kids and they want to help out kids who are less fortunate."

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I totally agree with Roger. If they want to donate their time, what's wrong with that? We don't know the why's of why a woman would strip for a living but they are human beings and we shouldn't judge them.

Stripping in a "gentlemen's club" (why don't they call it pig's club?) isn't even illegal. These women probably have some specific causes near to their heart, as they probably wouldn't be stripping for a living if life was otherwise easy for them. We let convicted felons do community service; how can we be so petty about people who legally strip for a living? As long as they are not advertising their skin during the event.

Of course, my first reaction was, maybe this was a way to get the kids' fathers more involved in the event . . . .

It reminds me of Gone with the Wind, when Belle,the madam with a heart of gold, tries to donate money to the hospital and only Melly will take it- "Ain't my money as good as their's?"Regardless of what a person does for their living, as long as it's not illegal or unethical, they should be allowed to donate their time or money.